As Howard knows, the risks are the same. He’ll have to play his way back into the team. There’s no assumption he’ll be ready to resume his role in Sept. 2015. Just like Donovan (and, every other player in the United States’ player pool), he’ll have impress Klinsmann with his present, not his past.

Aside from the players’ statures, that’s where the similarities stop, with the differences between Donovan and Howard proving much more interesting then their superficial commonalities. Whereas Donovan took his break in the middle of the 2014 World Cup cycle, Howard is stepping away four years from the next World Cup. While the U.S.’s all-time leading scorer temporarily stopped playing soccer entirely, Howard will continue with Everton, playing at a level of competition that can’t be replicated by the U.S.’s upcoming challenges. Though Donovan left before truly establishing his place under Jurgen Klinsmann, Howard has earned the trust of his national team boss. And whereas Donovan stepped away for an indefinite (and, ultimately, short) period of time, U.S. Soccer’s announcement included a date for Howard’s potential return.

Yet there’s still the lingering suspicion, one that enables the comparison: Can a player afford to take a break and retain his spot under Klinsmann? Donovan’s experience hints no, though he was called up for the Gold Cup, subsequent qualifiers, and the team’s pre-World Cup camp in Palo Alto. Timothy Chandler’s experience says otherwise. Amid the German-born American’s fitness and performance issues was a time where he was uncertain about his commitment to the United States. Eventually, he was welcomed back into the squad.

Maybe it’s just a case-by-case concern. Or maybe the concern doesn’t exist at all. When you’re available, you’re judged by how you can help. When, why, and with what motives you bow out may not be a defining factor.

The defining factors: The absences, and a player’s performance when they’re done. If Howard comes back at the same level he left, this won’t be Landon Donovan, part two. If he doesn’t, this could be day one of the Brad Guzan era in goal.

His name is Alessandro Cupini, a 10-year-old from Kansas City, Missouri that is about to complete a dream that a soccer player of any age would be thrilled to achieve.

Less than two weeks ago, Cupini and his family announced that the Kansas City Fusion midfielder/striker would be accepting a spot in the AS Roma academy starting in the Spring 2018, after having trained with the club for the better part of two years off and on.

Pro Soccer Talk had the opportunity to speak with Cupini’s father, Eddie, ahead of his son’s big move to Italy.

“This is something that Alessandro has worked really hard for,” Eddie Cupini told PST. “There are times where I tell him that he needs to take a step back and be a normal kid, but he doesn’t have any of that. He’s an incredibly hard-working and driven kid that does more than most people regardless of his age.”

Alessandro — who recently turned 10 years old — isn’t the typically American youngster though, according to his father.

“There are times where I wish Alessandro would take a break and be a kid, but that’s just not in his desire,” Cupini said. “We built him a mini stadium downstairs where he trains basically every day after school. As soon as he gets home from school he’s doing work down there and always looking for other kids to come over to practice with.”

That’s where the comparisons to Pulisic can be worked into the conversation.

Pulisic followed a very similar path to the professional level when he left his hometown of Hershey, Pennsylvania at the age of 16 to sign with Borussia Dortmund. Now, he’s U.S. Soccer’s most promising star as the USMNT looks to rebuild.

Cupini is already on the radar of U.S. Soccer and the Olympic Development Program (ODP), which helps identify young talent in the United States starting at the Under-12 level.

However, because of Cupini’s Italian heritage and his unique opportunity to move to Italy next year, Alessandro could potentially have the chance to represent either the USMNT or the Azzurri in the future.

“It’s a long ways away and we’re taking things slow in that regard,” Cupini said in regards to his son’s international plans. “We’d certainly be willing to explore our options, but I think it would be a real dream and his main goal to play for Italy.”

New Jersey-native and former Italy international Giuseppe Rossi made a similar career choice when it came down to choosing a national team. Despite living in the United States for much of his youth years, Rossi appeared for a number of Italy’s youth teams before holding a stint with the senior side from 2008 to 2014.

Prior to making the announcement that Roma would be where Cupini will ply his trade next year, the young American also had the opportunity to train with Italian academies Empoli and Atalanta.

“My father is from Rome, so for Alessandro to have the opportunity to play for his hometown club it was almost a no-brainer,” Cupini said. “We were very grateful to the other clubs for the chance Alessandro had to train with them, but Roma is a club that is very close to our family.

Leicester City pulled out a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion at the King Power Stadium, however, the Foxes remain in the bottom three of the Premier League.

Riyad Mahrez had plenty of chances on the day, and he rescued his side with 10 minutes remaining after powering home a strike into the far corner. The goal marks the Algerian’s first of the 2017/18 campaign.

Despite a frustrating opening hour, the visitors led on 63 minutes when Nacer Chadli curled home a brilliant free kick that left Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel stunned.

For the Belgium international, Chadli becomes West Brom’s seventh different goalscorer of the season.

Leicester nearly came out flying in the second stanza whenMahrez had an open chance in the center of the Baggies penalty area, however, the Algerian winger’s left-footed attempt was too high to hit the target.